


keeping count

by neenswrites



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bickering, Canon Compliant, Long-Distance Friendship, M/M, Phone Calls, Post-Time Skip, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:40:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27979749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neenswrites/pseuds/neenswrites
Summary: However, despite everything he had to do, Kageyama made sure to keep the second Wednesday of every month clear. Specifically, from 7:oo am to 10:00 am, Kageymama ensured that he had no games, no practice, no meetings or promotions.Those three hours were reserved for video calls with Hinata.-Keeping track of all of his wins over HInata is a great way for Kageyama to keep in touch him. It's also a great way for him to realize just how much he misses him.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 8
Kudos: 166





	keeping count

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Klanglilie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klanglilie/gifts).



> its kagehina time babey
> 
> thank you so much to [FanFictionForLife](https://twitter.com/ForFanfiction) for this com!!!!! i hope you like it!!!!!

Kageyama Tobio was a very busy person.

When he had been a child and imagined playing volleyball as an adult, he hadn’t really understood what all exactly it meant. It meant playing volleyball, of course, and for the most part, that was what the career consisted of. 

It also consisted of practices, interviews, press conferences, fan appreciations days, parties and social events he was expected to attend. They ate up his schedule, and he really didn’t mind much. It was all for the sake of volleyball. He’d willingly go through much more to be able to play the game for the rest of his life. 

However, despite everything he had to do, Kageyama made sure to keep the second Wednesday of every month clear. Specifically, from 7:oo am to 10:00 am, he ensured that he had no games, no practice, no meetings or promotions. 

Those three hours were reserved for video calls with Hinata.

Admittedly, the calls weren’t what one would expect of old high school friends. They were never nostalgic, never tinged in a bittersweet longing for the past. Hell, even calling their relationship that of high school friends felt strange to Kageyama. They were always more rivals than friends, but even when the rivalry melted away, what was left was something different that friendship. Something deeper.

Either way, traditional conversations and means of catching up would have never suited them. It only made sense that the way they kept tabs on each other’s lives was through their talleys.

And that was what the video calls were primarily for. Never saying hello, never asking how their morning or evening was going, only immediately detailing what points they’ve won or lost. 

And, of course, approving and disapproving of certain wins. 

“Hinata, that doesn’t count as a win,” Kageyama said as he narrowed his eyes at the other man. 

Hinata stuck out his tongue at him. It was a strange contrast, being able to see the Brazilian sun setting behind Hinata as he made such a juvenile expression at Kageyama - such a familiar action set against such an unfamiliar background.

Kageyama shook his head quickly. These calls weren’t meant for thoughts like those. Only for talleys.

“You only say that because you haven’t tried it.” Hinata waved something in his hand at Kageyama, and it was only when the idiot stopped waving it that he realized it was a picture. “Eating the spiciest vatapá in the city is such a big deal that they took my picture and hung it on the wall of the restaurant!”

“...I bet you had to go to the bathroom after that.”

Hinata balked and Kageyama grinned. “I did not, Bakeyama! I am a 22 year old man, let my middle school days rest. I didn’t even tear up or anything!”

“You still got nervous in high school too,” Kageyama said with a roll of his eyes. “And I still say your point shouldn’t count.”

“You just don’t want me to get the point.” Hinata pointed an accusing finger at Kageyama. “You’re just scared that I’m going to catch up to you! I  _ am _ already at over a thousand wins!”

“I’ve been over a thousand wins for over a month. I’m not worried.” Kageyama was a little worried. “But that’s not why it shouldn’t count. It shouldn’t count because it’s not something you can win if I never have a chance to do it too.”

This was the main point of contention with their win count recently. It was hard to decide what counted as a win when they were both doing such different things in such different parts of the world. 

But this was also why these calls were absolutely necessary. Otherwise, Hinata would count ridiculous contests like this, and completely ruin Kageyama’s record.

Only because of that. Nothing else. 

Hinata looked stumped for a moment at Kageyama’s words, but he immediately brightened as he slapped his hand on his lap. “Go find the spiciest ramen spot in all of Tokyo, and if you don’t cry from that then I won’t count this as a win.”

It was dumb. Kageyama could’ve fought Hinata’s dumb idea more if he wanted to. He could have argued and called Hinata names, and it would have been enough to distract the other boy until he dropped the point entirely. It wouldn’t have been much work.

“Okay,” Kageyama said, the smile on his face one reserved specifically for when Hinata challenged him. “You’re on.”

Hinata smiled right back. “You better not forget to take a picture, too.”

So three Fridays later, though he didn’t really have the time, though there were plenty of other responsibilities he still had to fulfil, though he already had time carved out for Hinata in his schedule, he carved just a little more time to go to a small, tucked away ramen shop that Hoshiumi assured him had the spiciest broth in the world. 

It was a bit of a walk, though, from the closest train stop. He walked by himself, unnoticed by the many busy people that surrounded him. It wasn’t like Kageyama wasn’t used to being alone. He spent most of his daily life surrounded by his teammates, and while they were close, he was grateful for the alone time he was able to find. 

But he wasn’t walking by himself to some hole-in-the-wall ramen shop on his own accord. He was doing it to appease Hinata. So of course the guy was on his mind. 

Of course he thought about how much more fun it would’ve been to race through the streets, trying to see who got to the restaurant first. Of course he thought about how they would have argued over which table they should try and squeeze themselves in. Of course he thought about how they would have both tried paying for the bill, if only to count it as a win.

Of course the fantasy played vividly in his mind. It was only natural.

But Hinata wasn’t there. So Kageyama simply walked through the doors of the restaurant. He slid into the first available seat at the bar, and once he ordered his food, paid the waitress without any trouble. 

He sat, waiting for his food, and missing the one person who not only kept up with him, but made him want to try even harder. 

When his ramen arrived, it was plenty spicy. It was the kind of spice that tickled the back of his throat, the kind he knew was going to linger on his tongue for the rest of the day. But the way his eyes teared up as he continued to slurp his noodles had nothing to do with the spice level.

Looked like Hinata hadn’t won a point after all. 

In the week and a half leading up to his next video call with Hinata, Kageyama began letting himself think of the other things in his life he wished Hinata was still around for. 

Volleyball was the most obvious. Call it habit or trust, but there were few things Kageyama found himself searching for more during practices than Hinata’s flying form. 

But there were also other, non-volleyball related moments Kageyama found himself missing Hinata in. His early morning run, when the only other people on the streets were those staggering home from nights out. When he was getting his milk from the vending machine, and inexplicably found himself peering around it as if expecting to see Hinata practicing his receives. When there was only one meat bun left at the 7/11 down the corner from his apartment, and only him left to buy it for himself.

All these moments built up for Kageyama, and it eventually all came pouring out. Although he did wish it hadn’t happened in the middle of one of their calls. 

“And this hike took all day, Pedro needed to stop like three separate times, but once we turned towards the ocean--”

“I miss you.”

The moment the words left Kageyama’s lips, he felt a weight lift himself off his shoulders. It was like a constant buzzing that had been pestering him finally silenced, and let him go about his life in peace.

Until he saw the look on Hinata’s face. 

Hinata’s eyes were wide with surprise, and he looked completely speechless. Kageyama felt heat rush to his cheeks, but before he could begin to take the words back, Hinata blurted out a hurried, “I miss you, too!”

Instead of Hinata’s response helping his nerves, Kageyama found himself feeling even more flustered. The heat that was once limited to his cheeks was now spreading to his entire face and ears, and he stuttered before choking out a strangled, “Hinata, you  _ idiot _ .”

Hinata frowned with a small wail. “Why am I an idiot? You said it first!”

“Well, well…” Kageyama was well aware that he was not helping his case. “You… you reacted all weird when I said it!”

God, he was 21 years old. Why was he acting like he was still in high school?

“Oh.” Hinata blinked, and then gave a sheepish grin. “Well, I was just surprised about the timing, I guess.”

Kageyama furrowed his brows. “What’s wrong with the timing? This is the same time we always call.”

“No, not  _ that _ timing, duh,” Hinata replied, as if Kageyama was an idiot for not being able to read his mind. “I just meant that today I was going to tell you that I signed to play for the Black Jackals.”

Kageyama nodded slowly until the words fully registered, and then he felt as if he wasn’t breathing anymore. “The Black Jackals are in Osaka.”

Hinata nodded at Kageyama playfully, the smile on his face smug, but Kageyama was still too surprised to say anything about it. “Yes, they are in Osaka, Kageyama.”

“But you’re in Brazil.”

“I’m coming back, genius.” Hinata laughed as he rolled his eyes, and the sound was so nice it was almost enough to bring Kageyama out of his stupor. “I can’t believe you call me dumb all the time when I have to explain all of this to you.”

Kageyama opened his mouth to reply, but the words died as he took in Hinata on his screen. Tanned, beaming, solid Hinata who was lit up incredibly by the sunset framed by his bedroom window. Hinata, who would be back in Japan in only a short time.

Kageyama found himself speechless.

“Wow, I really surprised you, huh,” Hinata said with a grin. “This should count as a win for me.”

That snapped Kageyama back to reality. “Absolutely not.”

Hinata laughed again, this time a little less smug and a little more honest. “That’s okay. We can talk about it when I get back.”

When Hinata got back. Kageyama smiled back at Hinata, unaware of the way the sunrise lit him up on Hinata's own screen. 

Soon enough, the sun would be the same for both of them anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you all liked it!! i dont usually do shorter fics like these so it was a nice change up!!
> 
> as per usual, here's the [twitter](https://twitter.com/neenswrites) if u want to chat!!


End file.
